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Kids & Curds
By: Barrie Lynn - The Cheese Impresario
So, how do you let kids cook while keeping it simple, healthy, safe and delicious? I've discovered the delectable flavors, ease and healthy benefits of Fresh Cheddar Cheese Curds. I hope you will try the Cheese Curd ideas below with your children; they will be perfect for the holiday season. While you're preparing the Thanksgiving dinner, your children can be assembling the Hors d'Oeuvres.
Wisconsin's artisanal cheeses are sweeping the blue ribbons at competitions in the United States and all over the world. This state is also famous for their Fresh Cheddar Cheese Curds. I was fortunate to travel to Murray's, New York City's famed cheese store, with Tricia McMahon from Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery. Ellsworth is known as the Cheese Curd Capital of Wisconsin. We conducted a Cheddar Cheese tasting that incorporated Fresh Cheddar Cheese Curds and I realized how much fun and how delicious these morsels are. I got to thinking about children and how much they can learn from eating and cooking with Fresh Cheddar Cheese Curds and decided to photograph kids making some fun foods.
We gave the kids a bowl of Cheddar Cheese Curds in different flavors Fresh, Garlic, Taco, Cajun and Ranch. This is ultra easy as the curds come in bite-sized pieces and you just open the bag and pour them into a bowl. We then cut up fresh fruit, vegetables and included savories like olives, dried tomatoes and small pickles. Honey and olive oil were also supplied along with pizza dough. Well, the kids had a total blast. They made their own kabobs with the Cheese Curds alternating a curd and then a fruit and drizzled this with a little honey and WOW! They made kabobs with fresh vegetables and cherry tomatoes then drizzled these with olive oil and again WOW! They were "cooking." The sense of accomplishment was a joy to see and their joy of eating healthy food was a thrill for the Moms.
Cheddar Cheese Curds have so many benefits. First, they are delicious with a cheesy and fresh milky taste that's not too strong for a child's palate. They have zero carbs, zero sugars and zero trans fats. With 20% calcium for growing bones these Cheese Curds are a healthy alternative to the junk food you want them to avoid. Kids' also love the way the Cheese Curds "squeak" when you bite into them.
We also wanted to see if the kids were interested in making pizzas and they jumped at this. It was totally darling to see them each making their own creative pizza topped with Cheese Curds. Once the pizzas were out of the oven the satisfaction of accomplishment in each child was evident. They gobbled a slice their own creation and then proudly shared the rest with their friends.
Cheese Curds are fun to put on top of chili, soups and stews. Kids can also stuff burgers with them for something different and delicious. Fresh Cheddar Cheese Curds are a convenient non-messy healthy snack for the school lunch box or for traveling in the car or airplane. And, by the way, you'll love them too. Cheese has such a wide range of flavors and textures...more cheesy ideas to come next month.
Photographs by:
Meg Smith For more information, recipes and to purchase Cheddar Cheese Curds:
Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board 
Barrie Lynn – The Cheese Impresario writes the "Cheese Matters" monthly column in The Beverly Hills Times, is a contributor to VIV Magazine, Hot Moms Club and has been featured in USA TODAY, VARIETY, The Hollywood Reporter, Daily Candy, the popular food blog EatingLA, Ben Adair's "Pacific Drift" on KPCC 83.9 FM in Los Angeles, E! Entertainment, KGO TV San Francisco and KTLA TV Los Angeles. The inclusion of her personally hosted Artisanal Cheese & Wine Tasting Adventures in the Oscars and Emmy Gift Baskets as well as the Golden Globe Awards Celebrity Retreat has attracted celebrities who include Mira Sorvino, Oscar winners Three 6 Mafia and Curb Your Enthusiasm's Jeff Garlin. Barrie Lynn – The Cheese Impresario produces and stages cheese events at unique venues and wine festivals throughout the country. The Cheese Impresario also makes appearances on behalf of "all things cheesy."
More information can be found at her website: The Cheese Impresario
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